Warning signal



May 16, 1939. w J w E 2,158,449

WARNING SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1935 I May 16, 1939.

w. J. WILDE WARNING SIGNAL- Filed April. 1, 1955 mKE PEDAL a rch' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 16, 1939 ilNiiEQ STATE @FFIQE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to warning signals and has for its object to provide a new and efficient warning signal for motor vehicles which will not only indicate that a turn is to be made but will 5 also indicate the direction and at the same time will wave two small semaphore signal flags to attract the attention of the car or vehicle following so that there can be no error in understanding just what the driver of the vehicle is H) intending to do.

A further object is to have a signal which will wave signal flags when the stop light of the vehicle is being used to add to the warning value x of the stop light.

A still further object is to provide a warning signal which is economical to manufacture, easily operated and simple in construction so that there will be few wearing parts to get out of order.

These objects I accomplish with the device il- '30 lustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indi cate like parts throughout the several views and as described in the specification forming a part of this application and pointed out in the ap- 33 pended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the signal device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device with the cover removed.

:11) Figure 3 is a front elevation of the device with the cover, face plate and direction control plates removed.

Figure 4- is an end View of the device with the cover removed.

:m Figure 5 is a view of the device showing the warning flags raised to a vertical position.

Figure 6 is an end view of one of the control plates and the solenoid core.

Figure '7 is a face View of Figure 6.

4n Figure 8 is a rear view of the device with the warning semaphore flags raised as in Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a view of the warning flags and coacting links and switch control bar.

Figure 10 is a side view of the switch control .1 bar and solenoid core for the control of the warning flags.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring and electrical circuit used in the device.

This application is an improvement over my .i-n original patent application for Letters Patent for direction signals, filed by me on March 20, 1934.,

Serial No. 716,443, in the United States Patent Office.

In the drawings I have shown the device as A, having a back plate B for the main support plate of the entire device and by which it is attached to the vehicle, and with a cover D for the working parts of the device.

Onto this plate B, I then mount the control switches, the energy solenoids, and the warning semaphore flags. Onto the face of the plate B I mount two spaced apart identical solenoids l and 2, supported by U-shaped brackets 3 and A which brackets are secured to or formed onto the face of the plate B by suitable means. These brackets are perforated in alignment with the open bore of the solenoids to allow the cores to operate freely therein and the outer ends of the brackets fit into holes through the reflector plate to hold it in spaced relation to the plate B. These brackets 3 and 4 support the solenoids and each solenoid consists of the coil and open center bore in which the cores operate with suitable covers around the solenoids to protect them.

Near the top end of and spaced above each solenoid I then mount control switches which consist of switch plates 5 and 6, and contacts l and 8. The plate 5 and switch 7 are mounted above the solenoid l and the plate 6 and contact 8 are mounted above the solenoid 2, with the contacts 7 and 8 directly in alignment with the top open end of the bore of the solenoids. Onto the plates 5 and 5 and bent down to be spaced below the contacts I and 8 there are two spring contact bars 9 and lil one to contact each of the contacts when actuated by the cores of the solenoids. The spring tension of the bars 9 and it holds them normally disengaged from the contacts l and 8 respectively until such time as one or the other of the solenoids is energized and the core thereof actuates the bars 9 and Ill. The contacts 7 and B are connected with the coils of the solenoid by wires H and I2 respectively. A wire it connects the two inner ends of the two contact switch bars 53 and ill together to wire the solenoids in series. Each of the solenoids is grounded to the plate B.

Medially between these two solenoids and spaced slightly higher on the plate B, there is a center warning flag control solenoid l5 mounted in a bracket it? with the legs of the bracket holding the two ends of the solenoid but the legs are perforated to allow the core of the solenoid to pass therethrough. This solenoid is spaced farther from the back plate than the other solenoids to allow the flag actuating and switch control bar to operate thereunder. The core I1 of the solenoid i5 is provided with a bracket 18a extending back therefrom. and this bracket is mounted in slidable relation to a sliding switch control bar I8 by a rod l9. The bar I8 is slotted at its upper end at 26 through which the rod l9 projects and the rod passes out through the back plate B through a slot 21. This rod [9 is the operating rod which actuates and operates the warning flags F and G. These flags are mounted on posts 22 and 23, which posts have their lower ends mounted pivotally to the back plate B by pivot pins 24 and 25. The flags have operating connecting links 26 and 21 pivotally attached to the posts by pins 28 and 29, set a short distance from the pivoted. ends of the flag posts and end ends of the two links are both carried on the rod l9 so that each movement of the core of the solenoid I5 will actuate the flags. With this construction each time that the current passes through the coil of the solenoid the flags are raised and each time the circuit is broken the flags drop. A guide and positioning rail 36 is secured onto the back of the plate B and the flag posts operate in the space between the guide rail and the back plate B. The switch control bar I8 is provided with a short slot 32 near the bottom end thereof through which slot a guide pin 33 is passed to normally hold the bar IS in vertical alignment. The bottom end of the bar I8 is bent out at a right angle and carries an insulation bar 34 onto which bar a switch contact member 35 is secured which member is adapted to engage a switch plate 36 carried in an insu lation bar 31 and the bar 31 is mounted onto the back plate B by an angle bracket 38. A wire 39 connects the wire l3 with the contact plate 36 and therefore with the source of electrical energy when either of the solenoids l or 2 is being operated. Thus when the current is turned on for indicating a turn in either direction the signal flags will be operated at all times for the solenoid l5 will draw the core l1 thereinto which will raise the bracket Mia and when it has reached its top position the movement of the bracket l8a will shift the bar 18 which will raise the switch member 35 from the plate 36 and break the circuit. When the circuit has been broken the flags will then drop which action will lower the switch member 35 down onto the plate 36 and the circuit will again be completed to energize the solenoid. This operation will continue until the current is turned off by the driver.

The contact 1 of the solenoid l is connected with a switch L by a wire 4| and the contact 8 of the solenoid 2 is connected with a like switch (not shown) by a Wire 42. These switches will be mounted in the drivers compartment and the one connected with the wire 4! is for use when a left turn is to be indicated and the one connected with the wire 42 is for use when a right turn is to be indicated.

The contact 36 is connected with the usual stop light T switch or the wire beyond the switch S of the automobile by a wire 43 so that whenever the stop light is used by applying the brakes of the automobile the energy of the stop light will also pass through the wire 43 and energize the solenoid l5 raising the core l1 and actuating the flags F and G to give the added attraction and warning to the stop light in warning the driver following that a stop is to be made. When the flags have been raised the contact between the switch member 35 and the plate 36 will be broken and the flags will fall until the contact is again made and the flags will again be raised. This will continue as long as the stop light is turned on by the brakes.

As an indication or Warning to the driver of the vehicle on which the device is to be used that his signal is in use and is operating correctly I mount a light globe T in the drivers compartment and this light is connected with the bar 31 by a wire 44, and a flexible wire 45 is connected with the bar 31 by a connection to one end of the wire 44 where it is secured onto the bar 31 to the contact member 35 to light the globe in the dash or drivers compartment each time the contact is made between the member 36 and the plate 36 to indicate to the driver that his warning is in operation and that his warning flags are operating and whether his direction indicating plates are operating.

When assembled a reflector plate C is set in place over the solenoids by securing the ends of the brackets which support the solenoids through small openings through the plate with the plate between the solenoids and the cover D, and the plate C is provided with two rows of glass reflectors and 5! made of any suitable light ray reflectors now on the market with the outside ends of each row of reflectors formed into an arrow head 52 and 53 and with the inner end of each row of reflectors turned down at 54 and 55. This then provides a means for reflecting light from the following cars for night signals eliminating the need of any light globes in the signal.

Within the solenoids I and 2 I provide slidable cores 56 which are alike with the bottom end of each core attached to a bracket 31. This bracket is turned out from the core and then bent up parallel to the core at 56 and is then again bent out at 59 and back down again at 60 with the y portion 60 parallel to the portion 58 and the core of the solenoids, and the warning plates which cover the rows of reflectors are attached to the ends of the portions 66 with the plates shown as 64 and 65. Thus the rows of reflectors may be covered and are normally covered at all times except when using the device to warn following motorists, that a turn is to be made. The cover D for the device entirely encloses the solenoids, the reflector plates, and all of the working parts of the device on the front side of the plate B and the cover is attached to the plate B by suitable screws or bolts. The cover plate is provided with two opposed or oppositely pointing openings in the form of arrows 61 and 68 cut through the face thereof to leave these openings in alignment with the rows of reflectors 56 and 5| in the reflector plate C. The face of the reflector plate C is painted preferably white and the face of the cover D surrounding 61 and 68 when one of the raised will show up clearly through the arrows signal plates has been either day or night.

The ends of the cores 56 and 51 will be provided with leather or fabric buffers 62 to prevent their hitting the contacts too hard or to prevent their making an electrical contact of short circuit in the device.

Slots are cut in the reflector plate C from the top edge thereof down sufficient distance to allow the operation of the brackets 51 supporting the cover plates 64 and 65, to raise and lower the plates over the rows of reflectors to indicate that a turn is to be made.

Reflectors 16 are mounted in each flag F and G to make them more clearly visible at night.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim:

1. In a vehicle signal, the combination of a the arrows is painted or enameled black so that the white arrows visible back plate having a removable cover therefor with sight openings through said cover; coacting signal flags pivotally connected to each other and to the back plate links connected to each flag; a solenoid connected to said links to operate said flags simultaneously; other spaced apart signal covering plate operating solenoids mounted one on each side of said first solenoid; signal covering plates actuated by said last mentioned solenoids; separate switches to actuate either one or the other of said last mentioned solenoids as desired; switch plates mounted above each of the signal plate operating solenoids one of said switches to be closed when one of the solenoids has been operated; a wire connecting the two switches together; a wire connecting the last mentioned wire with a switch plate mounted under said first mentioned solenoid; a contact mounted on the core of the first mentioned solenoid to engage said switch plate thereunder; a wire connecting this contact with a signal light and with the solenoid to energize said solenoid when either of the switch plate solenoids have been actuated to move the signal flags and turn said light on at the same time, with each operation of either one of the signal plate operating solenoids.

2. In a signal for vehicles, the combination of a back plate onto which the entire device is mounted; a cover for said device having opposed openings therein in the form of arrows; coacting signal flags pivotally connected to each other and to said back plate; a solenoid mounted medially of said plate having the core in said solenoid connected to a sliding bracket switch; means to connect said flags with said bracket switch to operate the flags when the solenoid is operated; a solenoid mounted on said plate at each side of said first solenoid having their cores connected with sliding brackets; signal covering plates mounted on said brackets; direction indicating signals on said plate to be visible through the arrow-shaped openings in the cover when the covering plates have been raised; switches mounted over said side mounted solenoids to be closed when said solenoids are actuated; separate switches to operate either of said last mentioned solenoids; a wire connecting the two switches with each other; a switch plate mounted under said sliding bracket on the medial solenoid; a wire connecting the last mentioned switch with the wire connecting the twoswitches together; a contact mounted on said back plate under said medial solenoid to be engaged by the sliding switch of said solenoid; a signal light mounted in view of the operator; a wire connecting the contact with said signal light and with the solenoid to energize said solenoid when either of the other solenoids has been operated and their respective switches operated, to move the signal flags, to turn on said light and raise one or the other of said signal covering plates.

WALTER J. WILDE. 

